I've got a dud fluorescent tube in my workshop (two twin 6ft fittings over the benches) and since one other is looking a bit dull, I'm going to change the lot. They are the originals that came with the fittings, so just bog standard white.
Any better alternatives without going to super expensive types?
Triphosphor tubes seem to have come down in price a lot recently[*], so I'd certainly go for those rather than a bog-standard 3500 K halophosphate type. You'll get more lumens per watt and better colour rendering. I like Philips 'Colour 840' (4000 K triphosphor), but they also do 2700 and 3500 K versions if you want something a touch 'warmer.'
[*] Four 5ft. 58W TLD 840 tubes cost me less than ten quid from the local branch of Newey & Eyre last November - hardly expensive. In any case the cost of the tube is sweet FA compared to the cost of the electricity it will use during its life...
the ones just marked 'white' at the end are not especially good light quality. 3500K are much nicer. Or, as mentioned, triphosphors are an option now. I would steer away from 4000K or 4500K though, not nice. The disaster ones are cool white and 4500K - and 6800K if you ever come across those, even worse.
NT
About double that for four 6 ft 75 watt. ;-) From Wholesale Fittings. Be in tomorrow.
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